ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMExN'T. 



333 



18. taken in [line forests north in November, and at Heisternaan's Island in June" 

 (N. A. Eddy); 'rather common in Kent Co. in summer and at Mackinac Island" 

 (S. E. White); '•common at Iron Mountain" (E. E. Brewster); breeds; "nests 

 between loosened bark and tree"' (Dr. \. K. Fisher); "under bark of stub thirty 



Head, foot aad tail-feather of (/erthia, natural size. 



feet high in Ottawa Co." (Dr. M. Gibbs); taken by O. B. Warren at Palmer, 

 September 11, 1893; see Davie's Nests and Eggs of North American Birds, p. 410; 

 in May; eggs five to eight, white, specked with brown. This bird climbs spirally 

 up tree trunks. 



Family PARJD^. Nuthatches and Tits. 



Food insects and insects' eggs; they creep up tree trunks and along limbs 

 much as do the Sapsuckers and Creepers, except they usually go downwards 

 head foremost as they hunt for their food. They are exceedingly valuable birds. 



Subfamily SITTING. Nuthatches. 

 Genus SITTA Linn. 



322-727-(o7). Sitta caroliueiifsis Lath. *White-brea8ted Nuthatch ; Tomtit; 

 White-bellied Nuthatch. 



Common; throughout the entire state; every month of the year; "common at 

 Ann Arbor" (Dr. J. B. Steere); "more common in fall and spring than the next 

 species at Bay City, often seen in winter, breeds at Heisterman's Island " (N. A. 

 Eddy); "never seen at Iron Mountain, Upper Peninsula" (E. E. Brewster); "very 

 rare at Mackinac Island " (S. E. White); " not seen at Palmer but a common 

 resident at Albion and St. Joseph" (O. B. Warren); "very common and breeds in 

 W^ayne Co. where I once took a set of eleven eggs, and I have seen a pair at 

 Ishpeming" (E. W. Durfee); breeds; nests in April; nests usually made in ready 

 formed holes in trees from ten to fifty feet from the ground; eggs four to eight, 

 rarely nine or ten, white to roseate, specked with brown; this bird is often seen 

 creeping down trees head foremost; will place acorns containing weevil grubs in 

 some cavity in bark to hold them secure and then pick out the delicate tit-bit. 



323-7 28-(o9). Sitta canadensis Linn. * Red-breasted Nuthatch; Red-bellied 

 Nuthatch; Canada Nuthatch. 



Rather rare; more common north; '"rare fall and spring migrant in Monroe 

 Co.. none remaining to breed " (Jerome Trombley); '• rare in Wayne Co." (B. H. 

 Swales); "common during migration" (E. L. Moseley); "rarely seen at Ann 



